Areawide Project and Phorid Decapitating Flies

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Areawide Project and Phorid Decapitating Flies
Sanford Porter USDA-ARS, CMAVE, Gainesville, FL
Areawide 2 October 2006
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Released Pseudacteon tricuspis Pseudacteon
curvatus Pseudacteon litoralis
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Jaguariuna Biotype
Currently occupies gt40,000 square miles
Expanding outward from multiple sites at 25
miles/year
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Results of a four year study in North Florida did
not show impacts above the 10-30 sensitivity of
the study.
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Consequently, additional species of flies and
other natural enemies will be needed to help tilt
the ecological balance against imported fire ants.
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Pseudacteon curvatus
A very small species that attacks small fire
ants Two Biotypes Las Flores (Black Fire
Ants) Formosa (Red Fire Ants)
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Pseudacteon curvatus
Las Flores Biotype
Formosa Biotype
Formosa Biotype 1. Over wintered in FL, OK,
SC, and TX 2. Out gt50 miles in FL
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P. curvatus occurs at much higher densities at
polygyne sites than P. tricuspis
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Pseudacteon litoralis

• Released in FL (5 sites)
• AL (1 site), MS (1 site),
• LA (1 site)
• 1st Generation Flies Most Sites
• Appears to have failed at most sites
• But, did overwinter in Alabama (2006)

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Preparing to Release Pseudacteon obtusus
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Pseudacteon obtusus
Attacks medium and large fire ants Safety
tests completed Approved for field release!!!
Field releases Fall 2006?
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Future Targets Pseudacteon cultellatus
Pseudacteon solenopsidis Pseudacteon nocens
Pseudacteon obtusus (sm. form) Pseudacteon
tricuspis (S. richteri) Pseudacteon litoralis
(new biotype)
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Pseudacteon cultellatus
From Corrientes, Argentina, Dec 2005 Very
small, attacks minor workers Reared through 4th
generation in quarantine
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Pseudacteon solenopsidis
very different from other decapitating flies
Attacks medium and large ants after herding them
off trails Never attracted to disturbed ants
Hard to collect in large numbers
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Pseudacteon nocens
Attacks small to large fire ants Can be
abundant around dawn and dusk four attempts to
rear this fly in the lab have failed (mating
problems?)
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Pseudacteon obtusus (small form)
small, like P. curvatus undescribed species
rarely common attracted to nests and trails
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Pseudacteon tricuspis (black fire ants)
the true tricuspis only collected from areas
with black fire ants strongly prefers black
fire ants in the lab
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Pseudacteon litoralis (new biotype)
Common on large fire ants Most active at dawn
and dusk biotypes from Corrientes and Formosa
do very poorly in the lab
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Completed Post-Release Tests
In Progress
Trip Planned December
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Decapitating Flies Mermithid Nematodes Eucharitid
Wasps Parasitic Ant
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